Pneumatic carrier



(No Model.) I

E. D. LEAYORAFT. PNEUMATIC CARRIER.

No. 451,619. Patented May 5,1891.

ww lf mam 7 UN TED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDIVIN D. LEAYCRAFT, OF. JERSEYCITY, NE\V JERSEY.

PNEUMATIC CARRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,619, dated May 5,1891.

Application filed July 2, 1890. Serial No. 357 550|' (No model.)

To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWIN D. LEAYCRAFT, of Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pneumatic Carriers, of which the following is a specification.

The improvements relate to the gates or provisions for introducing and taking out the carriers. I have in Letters Patent of the United States dated October 1, 1889, No. 411,864, and December 24, 1889, No. 417,828, shown provisions for turning short corners by increasing the dimensions of the carriertube in one direction in the quick curve, and also provisions for ejecting the carrier through a gate arranged in a curve not thus widened and equipped with a certain diagonal guide to insure the ejection, and a guard or stop to defend against a too wide opening of the door, which might injure the mechanism. In the present invention I have changed the form of the ejecting mechanism by fixing it in a curve which has the dimensions increased in one direction, and by also shortening the gate or ejecting-door, and especially by associating or combining with it a closely-connected curved part or series of curves, each having its dimensions-also increased in one direction like the curve shown in my patent dated October 1, 1889, No. 411,864. The effect of the first curve traversed is to deaden and nearly extinguish the momentum, so that no matter how rapidly the loaded carrier is moving in the straight portion of the tube it will be greatly slowed by the friction experienced in the first curve, and then it will immediately afterward and before it has again recovered its velocity enter the second curve, and will then, by its momentum and the continued impulse received from the air in rear of the carrier, be forced outward, both by its velocity generating centrifugal force and by the diagonal smooth bar extended across the curve, and be caused to press with such force against the interior of the door as to swing it open and allow the carrier to be ejected, opened, and its contents examined at leisure. My provision for introducingthe carrierinto the tubes after all is ready is in a high degree simple and reliable. I depend on the gravity of the carrier and its contents, or on momentum or muscular strength applied at the moment. The carrier is placed in a vertical chamber or orifice and descends therein by gravity. As soon as it feels the force of the Wind flowing actively in the tubes it is urged forward and soon traverses the main line of tubes, and is finally arrested by a deadcurve of small radius offering much friction, and is quietly thrown out upon the bench, or is caught and. removed. When it is for any reason difficult to arrange the parts so that gravity can aid in the introduction, I can have the carrier brought into the influence of the current of air by forcing it in with a finger. In any case it is well to cover the orifice with the hand to resist the escape of the current of air and insure its seizing the carrier and moving it onward.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and represent what I consider the best 'means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a general side elevation showing entire apparatus. The remaining figures show certain portions on a larger scale. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through the bends at and near the delivery-gate, where the carrier is discharged from the tube. Fig. 3 is a corresponding section through the gate where the carrier isinserted. Fig. 4isa plan view of the latter, and Fig. 5 is a horizontal section on the line at as in Fig. 3.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures where they appear.

A and B are straight portions of the tube, and O O are respectively curved portions, each formed as a complete tube in as many pieces as may be expedient, firmly and strongly united, and made of oblong crosssection, as described and fully shown in my patent of 1889, No. 411.864, above referred to. Both are curves of small radius, and each is sufficiently elongated to allow the carrier to sweep around the curve if it be desired to do so. The carrier does, in fact, sweep or traverse through the firstcurved part 0. The curve is of so small a radius that the centrifugalforce developed creates much friction, and this friction is proportional to the velocity and is sufficient to nearly extinguish it. No matter how high the velocity with which a heavily-loaded carrier is received from the straight portion A or how low the velocity of a light or heavy carrier, the high veloeityand heavy mass will generate a sulliciently great friction to reduce its motion to about a uniform moderate rate. There is only a coupling between this curve and the next curve C. This second curve is not to be traversed, except partially. The outer side of the curve C is formed with an aperture sufiieient to allow the carrier to be ejected. This is in the figures marked 0, and a smooth external flange along the edge of this aperture is marked U This aperture is guarded by a gate orcurved door D, turning on hinge d and formed with a back wing D and an edge iiangeD This gate is closed, the flanges D' and C applying together under ordinary conditions; but on the arrival of the carrier at this point its ve- 1 locity, having been reduced to a moderate amount in passing the curve C, is just suflicient to wedge open the gate D and cause it to be delivered upon the counter with gentle force. An oblique guide E is arranged at this point to insure that the carrier cannot move along in the interior of the tube beyond this aperture and contributes its aid to insure the delivery of the carrier outward through the gate. D from ever being strained open too far.

The introduction of the carrier again after it has been opened and its contents examined and again closed, either loaded or light, is effected bythe aid of gravityor momentum, or both. A pipe ll,extendingupward from the blower K, delivers a strong current of airlaterally into the chamber 1, which is a slight enlargement near the upper end of a vertical pipe which leads to any point desired, the curves, where such become necessary, being formed like the curve C; but they should,when convenient, be of larger radius, so as to allow the high velocity of the carrier to be maintained. A valve J, hinged at the pointj within the chamber, closes under all usual conditions the top of such chamber, but is capable of being turned downward by any sufficient force, leaving the top of said chamber open temporarily. The carrier is inserted by simply thrusting it downward endwise into the chamber I, which movement turns the valve J into the open position, allowing it to instantly return to the closed condition so soon as the carrier has been introduced. There is a sufficient force in the current of air to carry the carrier so soon as it is fully entered.

In cases where the chamber I is presented horizontally or downward the same operation suflices, with the addition that the carrier is urged in by momentum or by a thrust with G is a guard which prevents the gate the finger or otherwise, to get it, it convenient, beyond the valve J; but this is not essential. The band should be held a moment over the open end of I.

Modifications may be made by any good mechanic without departing from the principle or sacrificing the advantages of the invention. I can use a great number of the tubes and of the receiving and delivering devices.

The invention is intended more especially for large retail stores and to serve at the cashiers end of each tube; but it may serve at either end and in a great variety of other establishments where it is desired to send small packages, money, &c., to different points or to the same point at short intervals.

Instead of a single curve C, I can in some cases have a series of such curves. It is sutficient that the curvature be sutlicient to generate centrifugal force proportional to the velocity, and thus deaden the motion of the carrier before it reaches the curve C, in which is the orifice, guarded, as shown, for its gentle discharge.

I claim as my invention 1. In a pneumatic carrying apparatus, in combination with the pipe ll,bringinga strong current of air, and a pipe conveying such away, the upright charging-chamber havingan opening in the top of sufficient size to receive the carrier when it is thrust endwise therein and provided with a hinged valve opening inward, arranged, as shown, so that the act of insert ing the carrier will open the valve and thereby expose such valve to the direct impact of the current of air, substantially as herein specified.

2. In a pneumatic carrying-tube, the combination, with the straight portions or lengths A and 13,0t the curved portion 0, widened in one direction, as shown, so as to allow the carrier to traverse it with an approximately close [it in all positions and to generate so much resistance as to nearly extinguish the velocity, and the further curve C, similarly widened in one direction, and the gate D, arranged on the outer side of such curve,turning on the hinge (I, and provided with a stop D, adapted to operate automatically and to deliver the carrier with gentle force, all substantially as herein specified.

In testimony that I claim the invention above set forth I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EDlVIN l). 'LICAYORADW.

\Vitncsscs:

CHAS. S. BARBER, II. A. .TonNs'roNn. 

